Fiddler Kenny Putnam has the short answer for deciding to end South Dakota Acoustic Christmas after 19 years: "Nobody misses you unless you go away."

The long-running group's upcoming 2008 tour will be its last, and so far, the choice has been well-received, despite the strong sense of nostalgia surrounding the group and its annual holiday concerts.

"Everything has a life cycle, and it seems like a good year," said Putnam, a founding member of the group. "When we started, there was us and other programs people would put on locally. Now, there's so many that you can't count them."

Mike Connor, another founding member, says it wouldn't have been right to drag the concerts on perpetually.

"There's a lot of reasons to keep it going, and there's equal reasons to quit while we still feel fresh," Connor said. "So far it's been fairly well-received. We'd just like to go out with that kind of feeling involved. I've been playing music all my life, and I would rather leave the stage gracefully rather than be asked to leave."

Already, the nostalgia surrounding the farewell tour has boosted ticket sales.

"A lot of people are coming. Sales are way up this year," Connor said.

South Dakota Acoustic Christmas grew up from uncertain beginnings. In 1990, the first show was held in Sioux Falls, and the band didn't know whether it would be well-attended. Then, blustery weather blew in, and there were concerns about whether there would be any people in the audience at all.

"We did a little show at the courthouse museum. We didn't know if anybody would show up," Putnam said. The concert got a standing-room-only crowd, and the annual performance was born.

"We did it again, and it just kind of grew," Putnam said.

The show became a tour, and this year, the group will do 12 shows before calling it quits. Along the way, the group raised $1.2 million for South Dakota nonprofit organizations.

"It's Christmas music that people always love to hear. We've played every song ever written, I think," Putnam said. "It's a different show every year with a different special guest."

This year, Putnam returns after a break of a few years, and Jon and Jeremy Hegg of Sioux Falls jazz outfit Spooncat also return.

Connor said the Heggs' influence as adept arrangers will take the shows to a new level. "They're very good at putting together actual arrangement of the tunes we want to do. That helped us step it up a little bit," Connor said.

Putnam agrees with that sentiment and thinks this year's shows will conclude the group's time together appropriately. He said the tour has always featured good, original songwriting as well as cover songs with a twist.

"A little South Dakota sound - there's a unique South Dakota sound that is yet to be defined," Putnam said. "It's a combination of as many influences as there are people. It's got a lot of soul."

But this time next year, South Dakota Acoustic Christmas will be just a warm fuzzy memory for everyone. Connor said people seem to understand the group's decision.

"We devote from August to December to this thing every year. It's a big commitment, and we enjoy it. It's a labor of love," he said. "It kind of started out on a lark. What kept us going is the audience. The 'South Dakota' in South Dakota Acoustic Christmas we take very much to heart."

Group's retirement leaves fundraising void

While fans will miss the South Dakota Acoustic Christmas shows, the nonprofit organizations that benefit from the annual tour will miss the funds it raises.

According to Kenny Putnam, South Dakota Acoustic Christmas has raised $1.2 million over the years.

In Rapid City, the Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity has been the beneficiary of the group's performances.

So what does the group's retirement mean for the local Habitat chapter?

"I guess what it means to us is, we kind of see it as the closing of a season of partnership with a musical act that has really reflected a lot of the heart and soul of the Habitat program," said executive director Scott Engmann.

Habitat for Humanity and South Dakota Acoustic Christmas have been working together since the mid-1990s, and Engmann understands the group's decision to stop touring.

"We've been very impressed with how they've been able to reinvent their sound each year around the Christmas theme," he said. "At a certain point, I think every band has to consider the life cycle of their program, and I think they've done just that."

Now, Engmann is pursuing a replacement act to fill the void that's being left for the holiday season.

"What it means is that we're going to be in the process of looking for other creative artists to work with in this specific date. We want to continue to work on an event the second weekend in December," he said.

Habitat for Humanity is interested in letters of inquiry from other groups to partner with next year.

Interested performers can contact the organization through its Web site, www.blackhillshabitat.org, or call 348-9196.

West River tour schedule

Sturgis

Where: Sturgis Community Center Theater

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12

Tickets: $15 at Rockingtree Floral, County Drug, Johnston's Hardware and Sturgis Chamber of Commerce.

Sponsor and benefiting organization: Sturgis Arts Council

For more information, call 347-2562.

Rapid City

Where: Rushmore Plaza Civic Center theater

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13

Tickets: Concert tickets are $30 and $20. Tickets to the Black Hills Habitat for Humanity gala are $75 per individual and include dinner before the concert and a concert ticket. Concert tickets available at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, 394-4111 or www.gotmine.com. Gala tickets can be bought at www.blackhillshabitat.org or ReStore Outlet, 401 11th St. in Rapid City, or by calling 348-9196. Gala starts at 4:30 p.m. at civic center.

Sponsor and benefiting organization: Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity

Spearfish

Where: Spearfish High School Auditorium

When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14

Tickets: $17.50 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church (642-3715), United Methodist Church (642-3457), Perkins Family Restaurant (642-8535) and House of Flowers in Spearfish (642-2352).

Sponsor and benefiting organization: Our Savior's Lutheran Church

Pierre

Where: Pierre Riggs High School

When: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15

Tickets: $20 at Dakota Mart, Prairie Pages Bookstore, Cultural Heritage Center, Beads Baskets and Baubles and Oahe Federal Credit Union. Call 567-3597 or e-mail oahehill@goldenwest.net.

Sponsor and benefiting organization: Shortgrass Arts Council

Contact Eric Lochridge at 394-8321 or e-mail eric.lochridge@rapidcityjournal.com.